Dead Girls Like Me

"Is everyone assembled?"

"All present and accounted for, sir," Victor said, looking around the assembled group with a smile.

"We have all necessary witnesses?" the registrar pressed. "Miss Liddell's aunt and uncle, and--"

"My father and cousin, Mr. Drapewell," Victor provided, feeling a deep, warm glow inside at introducing his friends as such. "Emmett Brown and Martin Brown-McFly."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," Doc said, extending a hand.

Mr. Drapewell stared for a moment, before slowly accepting it. ". . .You're his father?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"I think it's the accent, Unc," Marty said, rolling his eyes. "Vincent's adopted, Mr. Drapewell. Which is probably pretty obvious, but still, if you want proof--"

"No, no, that's fine," Mr. Drapewell assured him, waving a hand with an embarrassed look. "Excuse me, I was just surprised." He coughed softly and resumed his stern look. "Now -- you two have a full understanding of what's expected? Neither of you are doing this through coercion?"

"We're both fully ready and willing," Alice said, glancing at Victor lovingly.

"Well then--" a few papers and a pen were produced and laid in front of them "--it's simply a matter of signing the correct paperwork."

"Er--" Victor rubbed the back of his head. "You wouldn't object if we exchanged vows? Quickly?"

"It is the closest our girl will get to a proper church wedding," Aunt Susan added.

"It's a common enough request," the registrar said with a nod. "Do you have vows prepared?"

"We do," Alice said.

"All right -- first sign here, then you can exchange them before we prepare the marriage license." Mr. Drapewell pushed a few papers toward them, and Victor and Alice added their signature where necessary. Finally, all that remained was the license. "Mr. Brown? If you would?"

Victor turned to face Alice, a few butterflies fluttering in his stomach. It had been years since he'd said these vows (excepting to himself in the mirror last night). What if he got them wrong again? For a moment, all he could think about was the disaster of a rehearsal at the Everglots, and the shame with which he'd been forced to flee --

Then Alice reached forward and took his hand, giving it a squeeze. The silent reassurance there -- that she didn't care if he messed up; they would be married regardless -- quieted his nerves. He squeezed back and smiled. "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness." He reached into his pocket and produced the gold band he'd gotten earlier in the week. "With this ring--" which slipped so easily onto her finger you'd think it had been waiting with the same anticipation he had "-- I ask you to be mine."

Alice beamed at him, pure sunshine on a warm spring day. "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring--" She caressed his cheek, engagement and wedding rings glinting in the lamplight. "--I will always be thine."

Mr. Drapewell did not oblige them with a "you may now kiss the bride." But in that perfect, beautiful moment, Victor did so anyway.

((Follow-on from: this Nexus post))

". . .We could actually go back?"

Alice nods, patting her boyfriend's arm. "Néo and company apparently know someone who can fix 'quantum signatures.' That's the very thing Doc says got altered with your trips through the rifts, isn't it? It means you two could go see your hometowns again. No more mysterious barriers blocking your way."

Doc and Victor look at each other, processing this information. Finally, Doc lets out a faint laugh. "Funny. . .when I first landed in the Nexus, that news would have been music to my ears. Now. . .well, I barely ever think of Hill Valley anymore. The one person I wanted to return for instead followed me here."

"I haven't wanted to return to Burtonsville for ages," Victor confesses, rubbing the back of his head. "Now that. . .well. . .I couldn't go through with the arranged marriage. April told me Victoria would be all right some time ago."

Alice blinks. "So -- ah -- you're actually not interested in their offer?"

Doc frowns thoughtfully. "I wouldn't say that. . .it just doesn't have the importance to me that it might have earlier in my time displaced. While I don't care about moving back to Hill Valley, it would be nice to see it once more. Marty could finally introduce me to all of his friends down at Darkness Falls," he adds with a smile.

"I -- I don't know," Victor admits. "Sometimes I do want to see my parents again, just to make sure everything's all right, but on the other hand. . ." He looks into Alice's eyes. "They'd try to make me marry her. Even with at least two extra years on me and my heart belonging to another. I don't want to have to go through that." He reaches out and takes her hand. "Not when I'm so close to being with you for the rest of my life."

Alice gives his fingers a squeeze. "I understand that. Though I have to say I fall into the 'you should see your parents one last time' camp. Nothing hurts worse in my opinion than missing the chance to say a proper goodbye."

Victor sighs, eyes falling to his feet. "I know. . .and I do feel guilty about just disappearing, even if it wasn't my fault. . .could you give me a little more time to think it over?"

"Of course." She smiles. "I just want you do to what's best for you -- with no regrets."

Victor smiles back at her. "I can't say I'll have none -- but I could never regret any of this."